Monday, March 17, 2014

Rain Language Part III

The Kamloops Wawa was a Chinook language newspaper published for more than a decade by the Oblate missionaries. It was written in a short hand specifically designed for Chinook and interior Salishan languages

The "English" sections are not only a translation but an integral part of the whole poem. I like that the poem shows how the grammar works for Chinook and how it shows the way the language lingers in the little words in this part of the world.

Rain Language

III

Ahnkuttie, yaka mitlite nesika lelang, Once, it was our language,nawitka nesika oakut our own waytanse, to dance,tikegh, to want, to love, mamook mesachie, to curse,mamook polaklie, to darken,pe mamook skookum light. and to make bright.Alta, yukwa mitlite ketling, Now, there is a kettle here,keekweelie powitsh stick, under the crabapple trees,pil ilta kopa chickamin chako halo ikta. rusting to nothing.Yahwa, There,eneti kullaghan, on the other side of the fence,kokshut leshaloo a broken ploughmitlite kow kopa klale ollallie. is tangled in the blackberries.Yaka mitlite kopa kopet tenas coulees kopa nesika illahie, It is only the little places of our country,kopa snass, in the rain,pe ole shantie. and in old songsKonoway sun nika cly, Always, I weep,Siah Illahie nika mitlite alta; Far away is my country now;Konoway sun nika cly. Always, I weep.Siah illahie nika mitlite alta. Far away is my country now.